Editing Orange County, Virginia (section)

==Government==
===Federal===
The county is part of [[Virginia's 7th congressional district]] and is represented by Congresswoman [[Abigail Spanberger]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Spanberger wins Democratic primary in Virginia's 7th Congressional District|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/live-updates/midterms/live-primary-election-results/spanberger-wins-democratic-primary-in-virginias-7th-congressional-district/|publisher=The Washington Post website|access-date=July 17, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Almukhtar 2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/virginia-house-district-7|title=Virginia's 7th House District Election Results: Dave Brat vs. Abigail Spanberger|last=Almukhtar|first=Sarah|date=November 7, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 7, 2018}}</ref> 

===State===
It is represented by [[Bryce Reeves]] (R) in the 17th district of the [[Virginia State Senate]], and by [[Nick Freitas]] (R) in the 62nd district and Phillip Scott (R) in the 63rd district of the [[Virginia House of Delegates]].

Since 1952, the county has leaned Republican in national elections. Republican congressmen have won every contest and averaged 67% of the vote. Republican presidential candidates have averaged 55% of the vote, and the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Orange County was [[Harry S. Truman]] in [[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1948|1948]].<ref name="How">Sullivan, Robert David; [http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century "How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163625/http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century |date=November 16, 2016 }}; ''America Magazine'' in ''The National Catholic Review'', June 29, 2016</ref> Republican senatorial candidates typically garnered 56% of the county vote until the electorate swung in favor of Democratic candidates in 2008 and 2012 with an average of 57% of the vote, then back to Republican candidates in 2014 with 60% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sbe.virginia.gov/index.php/resultsreports/election-results/ |title=Orange County Election Results 1995-Present |access-date=June 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705172831/http://sbe.virginia.gov/index.php/resultsreports/election-results/ |archive-date=July 5, 2014 }}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Orange County, Virginia|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=US Election Atlas|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|13,764|8,274|315|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|12,426|7,995|321|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|10,521|5,957|789|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|9,244|6,870|240|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|8,506|7,107|188|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|7,749|5,015|164|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,991|4,126|366|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|4,435|3,590|883|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,092|3,348|1,526|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,319|2,592|104|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,483|2,285|53|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,381|2,420|357|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,549|2,309|303|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,758|1,032|79|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,727|879|1,055|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,595|1,508|4|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,413|1,108|82|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,344|794|372|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,525|916|12|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|726|856|270|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|694|1,199|3|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|464|1,283|12|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|402|1,227|7|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|309|1,253|5|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|732|846|0|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|181|834|53|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|258|718|1|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|153|608|3|Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|87|619|59|Virginia}}

===Local===
Locally, the county is represented by the five-person Orange County Board of Supervisors, each of whom is elected from their respective districts; there are no at-large members. Board members serve four-year staggered terms and appoint district representatives to the Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Economic Development Authority, among others. 

In 2024 the members of the Board of Supervisors were:

R. Mark Johnson, District 1 (Chairman);
Ed Van Hoven, District 2;
Keith Marshall, District 3 (Vice Chairman);
Crystal Hale, District 4;
Bryan Nicol, District 5

Administratively, the county operates under a [[Council-manager|council-manager form of government]]. The Board appoints the County Administrator who serves at its pleasure.  Theodore (Ted) L. Voorhees has served in this role since April 2020.

===Taxation===
The real estate tax rates as of Fiscal Year 2024 include 61 cents per $100 of assessed value for the General Fund and 14 cents per $100 of assessed value for the Fire and EMS Fund for a combined rate of 75 cents.

===Crime===
{{update|section|date=October 2019}}
In November 2017, there was one [[Sex offender registries in the United States|registered sex offender]] living in Orange County.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/ |title=VA State Police Sex Offender Registry |access-date=January 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230110656/http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/ |archive-date=December 30, 2013 }}</ref>

On April 6, 2014, George Toombs, a 10-year-old boy, was shot and killed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbc29.com/story/25181677/orange-county-sheriff-investigates-fatal-shooting-of-10-year-old-boy |title=Sheriff Investigates Fatal Shooting of 10-Year-Old, 2 Charged |access-date=December 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207063835/http://www.nbc29.com/story/25181677/orange-county-sheriff-investigates-fatal-shooting-of-10-year-old-boy |archive-date=December 7, 2014 |work=NBC News }}</ref> The suspect in the case was scheduled to appear in court on murder charges on February 15, 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbc29.com/story/27518451/2-charged-in-connection-with-orange-boys-death-to-appear-in-court-feb-15 |title=2 Charged in Connection with Orange Boy's Death to Appear in Court |access-date=December 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207062916/http://www.nbc29.com/story/27518451/2-charged-in-connection-with-orange-boys-death-to-appear-in-court-feb-15 |work=NBC News |archive-date=December 7, 2014 }}</ref> The boys' mother was also charged with felony child neglect.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Carie|first=Julie|date=April 8, 2014|title=Prosecutors Believe Virginia Man Shot Fiancee's 10-Year-Old Son Intentionally|work=[[NBC Washington]]|url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/10-year-old-son-shot-killed-billy-joe-lee-tina-toombs-george-toombs/123283/|access-date=October 8, 2020}}</ref>

While extremely rare in the county, a second fatal shooting occurred on June 29, 2014, in Gordonsville resulting in the death of Clyde Johnson.<ref>[http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/man-shot-to-death-in-gordonsville-area-suspect-arrested/article_6d710d74-fffb-11e3-8122-001a4bcf6878.html "Gordonsville Shooting"], ''Daily Progress''</ref>

On April 12, 2012, 84-year-old James Weaver was bludgeoned to death in his home by a Louisa County man who used to do work around Weaver's home.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbc29.com/story/23363653/guilty-plea-entered-in-orange-county-murder |title=AGuilty Plea Entered in Orange County Murder |access-date=December 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207065416/http://www.nbc29.com/story/23363653/guilty-plea-entered-in-orange-county-murder |work=NBC News |archive-date=December 7, 2014 }}</ref>

On September 10, 2010, 19-year-old Samantha Clarke disappeared from her Orange home. Her disappearance remains unsolved.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hillier|first=Bianca|date=August 31, 2018|title=Samantha Clarke still missing eight years after vanishing from family home in Virginia|work=[[NBC News]]|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/missing-in-america/samantha-clarke-still-missing-eight-years-after-vanishing-family-home-n905346|access-date=October 8, 2020}}</ref>

Orange County Sheriff's office maintained 36 sworn officers in 2012. The Town of Orange had 15 sworn officers and the Town of Gordonsville five. In 2012, the incident rate for the county was 1.6%, for the town of Orange 6.1%, and the Town of Gordonsville 3.4%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Crime_in_Virginia.shtm |title=2012 VSP-UCR |access-date=November 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125211637/http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Crime_in_Virginia.shtm |archive-date=November 25, 2011 }}</ref>